Healing Hurts
by Miss Rhys
Summary: AU, all human. Magnus Bane, a colourful boy with a troubled past meets Alec Lightwood, a sweet but strong wheelchair-bound boy. The instant attraction between them is wonderful at first, but how will their relationship work when all the odds are stacked against them? Rating will increase as story progresses. "As far as your parents know, you spent the night at a brothel."
1. Convincing

**Author's Note: This is my first Fanfic and it hasn't been Beta-ed so please let me know if you spot any errors. **

**Disclaimer: Obviously I don't own The Mortal Instruments. If I did, I wouldn't be writing here, would I?**

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Magnus Bane woke up to the sound of an ambulance. It's piecing sirens infiltrated his apartment, bringing back memories of things he would rather forget. Thankfully, this time, the sirens weren't here for him. Moaning, he rolled over and shoved a pillow to his ears. New York City had allure, yes, but it wasn't the place to live if you ever planned on sleeping. Finally, the noise passed, allowing Magnus to relax. He sank back into his bed and threw the pillow onto the floor where a an irritated _meow _informed him that he had made contact with the ball of fur he called a cat. He chuckled and rolled over, allowing the tendrils of sleep to pull him back into darkness.

_Six months later_

"Charmain, this is going to be your best birthday party yet!" Magnus declared, snuggling the tiny creature. He was in an exceptionally good mood today after spending all day decorating his apartment and preparing the most kick-ass outfit this side of the sun.

His living room- the area he had set aside for the party- was filled with flashing lights, alcohol, speakers, and sparkles. In his opinion, a party wasn't a party without those. He eyed the room appreciatively, stopping cold when he saw an empty container sitting on the island. He gasped at Charmain. "This can't be!" he exclaimed. "We're out of glitter!"

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Isabelle shoved the outfit at Alec again. "You are coming to this party, Alec if I have to tie you up and have Jace carry you there_._" The girl angrily glared at her older brother. She had long since realised that her pleading on this subject rarely made a difference, so she had no choice but to resort to threats. "You haven't been to a party in months."

"No, Izzy. Even if I wanted to go, _which I don't,_ I wouldn't wear that."

Isabelle rolled her eyes. She threw the offending article of clothing on the bed and turned to her brother. "Well, I guess that I'll just have to find someone else to spend my evening with, if you know what I mean."

It was Alec's turn to roll his eyes this time. He was in no way swayed by his little sister's attempts, although they were incredibly annoying, but she was right. Since his accident a few months ago, he had hardly left the house. Initially, it had been because his legs constantly pained him, but once the pain faded, Alec had put off re-entering society for an entirely different reason. A reason that he wasn't exactly proud of.

He hadn't wanted people to see him like this. He knew that people often thought badly of those with disabilities, and he hadn't wanted to see his fears confirmed. Recently though, with Izzy's help he had started changing that mindset. After contemplating this for a moment, he finally surrendered. "Fine, Izzy."

At that, she jumped off of the bed, encircling her brother in a hug. "We're going to have so much fun, you don't even have to stay the whole time, and you'll think he's so cute, and-"

"Wait Isabelle." Alec said. "This isn't just an attempt to set me up with someone, right? Cause if it is... "

She said nothing, but shook her head innocently, skipping out of the room. That was when Alec _knew_ she was lying. Isabelle never skipped.

"Get dressed, Alec!" she yelled.

Alec shook his head and moved to his dresser. He dug through it half-heartedly, attempting to find something that both he and Isabelle could agree on. His searching was interrupted when someone strolled into his room. Unconsciously, he felt his breath hitch in his throat.

"Izzy told me you're coming to the party." Jace said. Although his tone was smooth, Alec could see that his normally arrogant face held worry. Although seeing Jace worried about him caused mixed reactions, in his mind, he knew that his adoptive brother really did just want the best for him. "I agree with her, you know. But if she's forcing you in-"

Alec cut him off. His hands were shaking, but his voice was strong as he addressed his brother. "Jace, I've been wallowing in self-pity for months now. I need to do this, no matter how much I hate parties." He rolled his eyes as he finished his sentence, which pulled a laugh out of Jace.

"Great, let's go then." Eyeing Alec's outfit, which currently consisted of a faded sweater and an old pair of black jeans, Jace raised an eyebrow curiously. "Is that what you're wearing?"

Alec looked down at his sweater unhappily. It was certainly comfortable, and one of his favourites, but it was a far cry from the form-fitting blue t-shirt Isabelle had discarded on his bed. Sighing, he picked it up.

_This party had better be worth it._

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**Hope that you liked it! Should I continue?**


	2. Introductions

**Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews, guys, I hope that I won't disappoint you. Happy reading!**

**Disclaimer: Oh, guess what? I own the Mortal Instruments! Haha, no I don't. I own nothing, don't sue me.**

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"Are you sure this is the right place, Izzy?" Alec asked curiously. His sister waved off his concern, obviously not worried, although Alec certainly was. The apartment building they were waiting outside of wasn't exactly what he had envisioned when his siblings had mentioned a party. It was old and frankly, there was no other word to describe the building's exterior. A dark wooden door and dirty windows faced them while a mysterious shape lurked in the alley beside them. Needless to say, he wasn't impressed.

So when the door creaked open, Alec considered pinching himself when he saw the person behind it. The man standing in the doorway was so strange, that Alec thought he had to be dreaming. No one really wore red leather pants with a midriff-baring rainbow top did they? But once he could tear his eyes away from the strange ensemble and bring his gaze up to the man's face, he came crashing back to earth. The most dazzling pair of eyes in existence was gazing down at him, their green all he cared to see. Out of nowhere, a sharp pain on his arm pulled him out of his daydream and he held out his hand. "I'm Alec." The man was so tall that he had to bend a little to capture Alec's slim hand in his own.

"Magnus Bane." He bowed theatrically, throwing Alec a glittery wink before a loud crash was heard from inside the building. "Damn." He jumped up and rushed back into his apartment.

As soon as he was out of sight, Alec turned to glare at his sister. "Was pinching me necessary?" Isabelle laughed and grabbed the handles of Alec's chair, helping him over a bump in the carpet. "You were drooling." She teased.

Ahead of them, Jace had reached the apartment and was holding the door open for his siblings. The second they were all inside, he rushed to the bar, where a voluptuous blonde woman was seated. Alec rolled his eyes. Trust Jace to find a lonely drunk girl the moment they arrive.

He and Isabelle had been against the wall for nearly 20 minutes now, and although his sister was still standing with him, he could tell that her mind was elsewhere. Gently, he prodded her toward the crowd in the middle of room. She looked at him questioningly. "I'll be fine, Izzy. I can move this myself you know." He motioned at his chair. She smiled gratefully and squeezed his hand before joining the throng of dancers. He lost her immediately in the crowd, and knowing no one else at the party, he leaned back in his chair to people-watch. His siblings couldn't understand how something like that could be interesting, but it was useful if you had a lot of time to kill, and Alec had discovered that you were able to learn the most about people when they didn't know someone was looking.

For instance, the couple dancing in the corner were making up- and making out after a fight, the brunette at the bar was using a fake I.D. to get alcohol even though he was obviously too young, and the woman facing him was on the prowl. Oh shit.

The blonde woman Jace had approached later was now standing in front of him, with Jace nowhere to be seen. She bent over so that they were the same height, her full breasts nearly spilling out of her tight black dress. On a good day, Alec hated when people bent to talk to him like he was a child, so this woman was not doing herself any favours in his book. Not that she had a chance anyway.

"Well, you're quite the looker aren't you, babe?" She licked her blood red lips, her clear eyes piercing into Alec's. "Care for a drink?" She asked, a cocky smile already forming on her lips. Alec swallowed nervously. Even he could tell that this woman was beautiful and not used to hearing the word 'no', so how was he going to explain to her, and Jace why he had to turn her down?

Just as he had come up with an excuse, a familiar voice came to his rescue.

"Camille, darling, you're frightening him." Alec's eyes shot up to see Magnus standing beside him, one of his hands resting carelessly on Alec's shoulder. He was shooting Camille a look that apparently meant something to her, since she let out a short laugh and held her hands up in surrender. "Okay Maggie, I get it." She winked at Alec and sauntered back to the bar, her hips swinging in a way that had every straight boy and a few girls in the room staring after her.

Alec let out a sigh of relief, thankful that one crisis tonight had been averted. When his eyes moved back to his savior though, he wasn't completely sure that the crisis was over yet. Magnus was smiling dangerously, his green eyes sparkling. He looked down at Alec. "Interesting." He said quietly. Alec's brow furrowed in confusion, not sure what the man had meant by that, when he heard a chair being pulled toward him. Magnus lounged beside Alec on a sparkling purple creation, his eyes meeting Alec's. "It's loud in here, so I figured this would be better than leaning over to talk to you." Alec nodded nervously, not sure why the man had approached him at all, but, hey, he wasn't complaining. "I see Camille isn't your type." Magnus said, arching an eyebrow. Alec felt nervous all over again, but this time for a very different reason than he had with Camille.

"Well- um- not really..." Alec stuttered, his pale face blushing crimson. Magnus smiled and placed his hand over Alec's. Terrified, Alec whipped his hand away, eyes nervously scanning the room for his siblings. Thankfully Izzy was nowhere in sight, and Jace was so drunk, he wouldn't have noticed if the room was destroyed by a herd of buffalo. Alec sighed and glanced nervously at Magnus, who wasn't doing a very job trying to hide a smile.

"Still in the closet darling?" he asked sympathetically. Alec's eyes widened, both at the endearment and the proclamation before hastily answering, oh so eloquently.

"What?! You think I'm- But I'm not- I'm not gay!" Magnus bit back a smile again, gently patting Alec's arm.

"Of course you aren't." he said sarcastically. "And I'm dating your sister."

Defeated, Alec slumped in his chair. "How did you know?" he asked quietly. Magnus' teasing tone stopped, his hand lifting off Alec's arm.

"You passed the test, sweetie. Or should I say, you didn't pass the test." At Alec's confused glance, Magnus elaborated. "Camille. She's every straight guys' fantasy, so when attractive boys show up, I have her sweet-talk them. If they turn her down, I can guess what team they play for." Alec couldn't believe what he was hearing. One- Magnus thought he was attractive, two - Magnus had set him up, and three- Magnus thought he was attractive. Yes, it was so incredible; he needed to count it twice.

"That actually works?"

Magnus shrugged. "Usually."

"Alec!"

He sighed heavily. Trust Isabelle to show up at exactly the wrong time for anything important. Plastering on a fake smile, he turned to his inebriated sister, who was clutching an equally intoxicated Jace by the arm. Sometimes he hated being the oldest. He shot Magnus an apologetic smile before grabbing Jace by the arm. "Come on, guys, time to go."

Isabelle pouted and clutched at Magnus. "Mag," she slurred. "We can stay, right?"

Magnus smiled and gently prised her off of him. "You know I love you Isabelle, but you are extremely drunk." He handed her back to Alec, sneakily placing a slip of paper in his pocket. "Call me." He mimed, before shoving them outside.

Once Alec helped his drunken siblings fall into a cab and the driver helped him fold his chair, he fingered the number in his pocket. He had a few things to think about.

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**I hoped you liked it! Don't expect all updates to be this quick, I just had a lot of time tonight.**

** Reviews would be lovely, if you can.**


	3. A Call to a Stranger

**Disclaimer: I won't be doing this for every chapter, so to clarify: in this entire story, I own zero characters. Cassandra Clare owns them all.**

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_Call me. _

Alec pulled the slip of paper from his pocket. It was a bit worn around the edges from being carried around the past two days, but the number was still easily readable. He fingered the edge gently, his teeth catching on his bottom lip. If this were any normal relationship, he wouldn't have hesitated to call back- no, scratch that. He would have hesitated, just not for this long.

"What's that?"

Alec's head shot up to see Isabelle leaning on the doorframe, a devilish smirk making its way across her features. He moved to hide the paper, which was useless, but the only thing his surprised mind could come up with. Isabelle had always been the fastest one in their family, so he wasn't at all surprised when the number disappeared from his hand.

Her eyes lit up as she realised what she was holding, and she emitted an awfully un-Isabelle-like shriek. "Alec! OH MY GOD, he gave you his _number_?! Have you called him? Of course you haven't, it's _you_, but you will. You guys are going to be so cute together, I can just see it!"

Deciding he needed to do something before his sister died of excitement, Alec grabbed her arm, pulling her down onto the bed. "I can't call him Izzy." He admitted quietly. The slip of paper lay slightly crumpled in her hand, the reason for their discussion momentarily forgotten. Isabelle slowly stopped struggling, the excitement draining from her face.

"Alexander Gideon Lightwood." She began her voice dark with determination. "The most attractive guy you will probably ever meet gave you his number. He. Likes. You. You better have a damn good reason for not calling him."

Alec's mouth fell open in protest, but no sound escaped. Magnus was confident, smooth, and gorgeous, while Alec was none of the above with a built in relationship deflector- his chair. But on the other hand, Magnus had given Alec his number, which meant as much as he hated to admit it, Isabelle was right. He was acting like a little kid, and he really had no reason for not calling Magnus; other than the fact he was scared as hell. Defeated, his aqua eyes slid up to meet his sister's black ones. Whatever you may say about Isabelle, she was nothing if not persistent.

"Fine," Alec said, holding his hands in a position of surrender. "But only if you leave." Content with her victory, Isabelle bounced off the bed. As she left, she turned her head to face Alec.

"Don't screw up." She said tauntingly, closing the door behind her.

_Wow, thanks Izzy, that's incredibly helpful, _Alec thought. He pushed himself over to where the number lay discarded and picked it up gently. It wasn't in good shape after its run in with Isabelle, but it was still legible. He rifled through his bed sheets, eventually producing a black cellphone. Before he could back down, he dialled the number and pressed the phone to his ear. It rang for almost a minute without interruption, so Alec was already composing a message in his head when a voice on the other end made him jump.

"Hello?"

Alec froze. He wasn't so sure this was a good idea after all.

"I can hear you breathing you know."

Alec gulped nervously.

"Hi, um… it's Alec. The guy from your party. You told me to call you so, I did."

He held his breath, not sure how this would be received. When Magnus didn't say anything, Alec cursed to himself. Finally, an amused voice reprimanded him.

"You realize I asked you that several days ago, Alexander. I was beginning to think you had forgotten about me."

"I didn't forget. I, just… why did you want me to call you?" Alec asked nervously. He heard a chuckle from Magnus.

"Well, I thought that it was obvious enough, darling." he said dryly. "I must be losing my touch."

"Do you want to go out with me?" Alec could almost hear Magnus' surprise at his straightforwardness. When it again took him a while to respond, Alec bit his lip, already regretting what he had said.

"It's surprising." Magnus said. "You're nothing like what I expected."

"Oh." Alec said quietly.

"So, let's say Saturday? I was thinking a lunch date. Have you ever been to Adrienne's? It's got great Italian, just off-"

"You actually want to go out with me?"

"Yes, Alec, I thought we'd been over that."

Alec was flooded with relief. When Magnus had said he wasn't as expected, Alec certainly wasn't expecting a date. "Italian's perfect."

"Lovely. See you then, beautiful."

"Bye, Magnus."

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**A/N: I don't love this chapter, but hey, it's necessary.**

**I'll post the next chapter (hint: their first date) when I get _ten reviews_. Also, I'll give you cookies!**


	4. A Date and a Surprise

**A/N: Hello lovelies! Thanks for the reviews! **

**As promised, here is chapter four. It's my longest chapter by far, so I hope that you enjoy their first date.**

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(Magnus POV)

_Adrienne's_ was busier than usual. The small establishment usually housed no more than six or seven patrons at a time, so Magnus had been sure that this would be a quiet, relaxed place for his first date with Alec. He knew Alec wasn't quite comfortable being seen on a date with another man, so he had wanted to make this as painless as possible for him. Unfortunately, he had failed to take into account the fact that it was Saturday – which meant although it was only one o'clock, the restaurant was filled with people. It wasn't exactly ideal, but it would have to do.

That also meant that it wasn't exactly quiet, so Magnus jumped when he felt a hand tap his shoulder.

"Hello, Magnus."

He turned around quickly, and was greeted to the most precious thing he had ever seen. Alec was smiling nervously, his hands clutching the wheels of his chair while a small bouquet of yellow flowers rested in his lap. Magnus couldn't help but smile. "You're more gorgeous than I remember." He said flirtatiously. The brilliant blue eyes Magnus had been dreaming about were sparkling as a furious blush crept over Alec's face.

"You too." Alec replied. He picked up the bouquet with shaking hands- (How adorable!) Magnus noted- and handed it to Magnus. When their fingers brushed, Alec's blush deepened and he pulled away. "Izzy's pretty good at things like this, and she said that I should bring something, so I thought these would be okay." Magnus' grin turned positively cat-like at Alec's awkwardness. How was it possible that he had known this boy for less than a week and already he was more giddy than a three year old at Christmas?

After a few minutes a waitress appeared to take their orders, and Alec and Magnus made small talk until she returned with a plate of spaghetti for Alec and a pizza with everything on it for Magnus. They ate for a few minutes in silence. Magnus often was one to believe that silence on dates was rarely a good thing, but this silence seemed different. Far from being awkward or painful, it was merely a comfortable break in the conversation, punctuated only by the occasional 'this is really good'. Eventually Alec looked up from his now almost finished pasta. He had a dot of sauce on the corner of his mouth and Magnus had to fight every instinct he had not to lean over and kiss it away. Instead, Alec must've noticed it, because his tongue reached up to lick it off. Although Alec hadn't meant for that gesture to be seductive, Magnus couldn't help the small shiver that ran through him.

"Isabelle also said-"

Magnus sighed and cut Alec off. "Not that I don't love your sister, darling, but I'd much rather get to know you."

"What do you want to know?"

Magnus smiled craftily, a plan forming in his head. Step one involved getting them out of this busy restaurant. "Well, are you done eating?"

Alec nodded, obviously unsure of where this was going.

"Perfect." Magnus placed several bills on the table and stood up. "Would you like to go on a walk?" He bit his lip, immediately realizing his mistake. He'd just accidently asked Alec if he wanted to go on a walk, when he knew that the boy couldn't actually do that. Magnus kicked himself mentally. "I'm sorry Alec. I meant, um…" For the first time in his life, it was Magnus who was stuttering on a date, and it was because he had _really_ screwed up. He met Alec's eyes again, expecting him to be annoyed or upset, but Alec was just smiling gently. He lifted his hand up to Magnus' and touched it softly.

"It's okay," He reassured Magnus with a grin. "I'm not offended. It's actually nice seeing you flustered for once." Magnus let out the breath he'd been holding, relief showing on his face.

"I just didn't want to make you feel…" Magnus trailed off. He couldn't think of a word that wouldn't seem rude. _This is insane_, he thought. Around everyone else, he always knew what to say, but this blue-eyed, awkward, adorable boy made him sound like an idiot.

Alec had apparently understood some of that, because he added, "It's fantastic that you're trying to be sensitive, Magnus, but I don't want you censoring everything you say for me. I'm not a doll; I'm not going to break."

He placed his hands on the wheels of his chair. "And about that walk," a devious smile crept onto Alec's face. "You know that park a block down?" Magnus nodded curiously. "Race you there!"

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Magnus stood dumbfounded for a moment before rushing after Alec. To his surprise, when he made it outside, Alec was already half-way down the street. _Wow_, Magnus thought. He ran after Alec, thankful that they were in a slightly less populated area of Brooklyn. If they had been near Times Square, this would have been a hell of a lot more painful for them and anyone nearby. He sprinted as quickly as he could, drawing closer and closer to Alec, until they both reached the park, their hands slapping the sign at the same time. Magnus was breathing heavily; sweat dotting his brow. He reached up tentatively to check his makeup. The last thing he needed was for his date to see him looking like a raccoon. A glorious sound filled his ears and he looked over to see that Alec was laughing at him. When he was satisfied that he still looked fantastic, he addressed the boy. He'd meant to sound more stern, but Alec's incredible laughter was doing strange things to his brain.

"I'd like to see you do this while wearing makeup." That sentence achieved its desired affect and pulled another laugh out of Alec. Once both of them had caught their breath, they began meandering down one of the park's many trails. Magnus offered to push Alec, but he refused, insisting that he wasn't tired.

Finally, Magnus arrived at the second part of his plan. Although he knew that Alec was driving him crazy, he didn't really know much about the blue-eyed beauty. "Let's play twenty questions." He proposed. As a child, it had been one of his favourite games, and as he matured, he had realized that it was a great way to get to know someone.

"Okay," Alec agreed. "You first."

Magnus thought for a moment. "Favourite colour?"

"Black." Alec answered immediately. "Favourite breakfast food?"

"Well, black is technically a shade, but I'll let it go." He smiled at Alec's question and rubbed his stomach theatrically. "Scrambled eggs with bacon. Best friends?"

"Izzy and Jace." Alec answered honestly. "Who are yours?"

Magnus smiled. "Well, you've met the lovely Camille," Alec grimaced at the memory, causing Magnus to chuckle. "And Charmain Meow of course." Alec raised an eyebrow curiously, prompting Magnus to explain. "My cat: six pounds of fury and fur."

"Oh," Alec said, amusement clear in his features. That wasn't the only thing showing though. Magnus could see that Alec was getting tired. They had been strolling for a while now, and although he himself had never been in a wheelchair, Magnus could imagine how hard it must be to push for an extended period of time. He stepped behind Alec, ignoring his confused expression and placed his hands on the handles.

"Can I?" he asked.

Alec immediately piped up, telling Magnus _that_ _he wasn't that tired; he didn't want to be a burden; _and_ not to worry. _Magnus stopped him. He could see that Alec was tired, he was just being stubborn. However, he wasn't going to do anything without making sure it was okay first. He had never dated anyone who used a wheelchair before, so he didn't quite know the protocol, but he really just wanted to help Alec. "Alec, do you trust me?" He asked softly.

Alec's hands slowly lifted from the wheels and his head turned enough to see Magnus. He nodded.

Magnus smiled. He began pushing the chair slowly down the path which ended soon after and left the pair on a street very familiar to Magnus. This was where stage three of his plan came into play. He continued asking Alec questions, none of which likely seemed important, although Magnus felt they all were. Laughing together, Magnus stopped Alec in front of a red-bricked apartment building. Alec's eyes widened in recognition, but he didn't seem too nervous, which Magnus took as a positive sign. "I'm feeling a bit cold." He said. It wasn't a complete lie, but it was certainly a convenient half-truth. "Would you like to come in?" Alec paused for a moment, probably weighing the options in his head, but he eventually nodded. Magnus grinned and pushed Alec inside the building, then into his apartment.

The decorations in his home changed often, whenever his mood did, and tonight his flat appeared eclectic, random but comfortable furniture everywhere. He kicked the door closed behind him and guided Alec so that he was facing the television. He had the feeling that Alec wouldn't be quite comfortable being picked up and moved to the couch, so Magnus just sat as close as possible to the beautiful boy. Together they sat for over an hour, watching America's Next Top Model reruns and talking. Magnus loved how easy it was to talk to Alec. He felt as though he could talk to him about anything, so when there was a pause in the conversation, without thinking Magnus blurted, "Alec, what happened?" Alec tensed, causing Magnus to wonder if he shouldn't have asked, but after a moment Alec trained his eyes on the ground and began talking.

_(Flashback)_

_"Hey Alec, want to hit up Pandemonium?"_

_Alec looked at his watch, cursing when he saw that it was already past midnight. He and his friends Will and James (Jem for short) had just left an awesome party and as none of them were very drunk yet, they had stopped by Jem's place to plan their next move. _

_Unfortunately, Alec had a strict curfew and an even stricter mother waiting for him, so he declined, promising he would call them tomorrow. Halfway home, he entered a busy intersection. Distracted by the traffic, he didn't notice the van barreling toward him until it was too late. The out of control vehicle smashed into his small car, sending excruciating pain through the lower half of his body. It was too much for him to handle._

_(Flashback over)_

Alec took a deep breath. "I was unconscious for a week in the hospital. When I woke up, they told me that both of my legs and my left hip were shattered beyond repair. They said I would never walk again." Magnus winced, his hand reaching up to touch Alec's shoulder gently. "Apparently my hip was too damaged for prosthetics to work, so they left my legs attached, but I'm stuck in this stupid thing for the rest of my life." Alec swatted his chair, still refusing to meet Magnus' gaze. "I hate it." He whispered. Magnus could see that his eyes were sparkling. "How am I supposed to live my life in this?"

Magnus' heart was shattering at Alec's confession. How could such a horrible thing happen to someone as amazing as this boy? He raised his hand, softly lifting Alec's face until their eyes met, blue and green. Slowly, he moved his face forward and pressed his lips against Alec's. He seemed frozen at first, but just as Magnus was getting worried, Alec responded, his lips moving against Magnus's. Magnus' heart leapt, and he felt himself melt into the kiss. Suddenly, Alec pulled away, startling Magnus immensely. He pulled back, his green eyes searching Alec's face.

"I-I have to go." Alec stuttered. He pushed his chair quickly to the door, and before Magnus knew what had happened, Alec was gone.

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**A/N: Cliffhanger (kind of)! ****If you liked it, you should review. If you didn't like it, you should still review. *smile***


	5. Confrontation

**A/N: Sorry if that took a long time, I've been having terrible writer's block. For this fic, Alec's texts will be in italic, while Magnus' are bold.**

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(Alec POV)

A soft chime filled the air and Alec removed his finger from the doorbell. He sat anxiously on the porch of his own house, an imposing stone building that appeared to be more of a church or museum than someone's home. Stupidly, he had forgotten his key in his haste to get ready for his date. Even so, he had been a bit late, not that Magnus had seemed to mind. Alec shivered, both in remembrance of what had just happened and in the blast of sudden wind that chilled him to the bone. Although it was December, the weather had been unseasonably warm lately, with today being the only exception. Alec rubbed his arms feverishly in an attempt to create heat. Finally the tall door in front of him creaked open and a shaft of light fell across the porch. A tall girl with beautiful midnight hair stood in the doorway, regarding Alec with what appeared to be a mixture of surprise and enthusiasm. She jumped aside as Alec pushed past her, but immediately blocked his path again once he was inside.

She studied his face, her black eyes glowing. Apparently there was something about his expression that she recognised, because she grinned. "He kissed you." She whispered excitedly. _How could she do that?_ Alec wondered. Being intuitive must be a girl thing, because he sucked at it exponentially. When he didn't respond, she pulled him into the nearest room and slammed the lock closed. "Spill." Isabelle demanded.

Alec trained his eyes on his hands. He wouldn't mind telling Isabelle what had happened, she was the only one he could tell anyway, the problem was that he didn't really know it himself. This was his first date; although admittedly not his first kiss, (That honour went to Jessica Radley in ninth grade, when he had tried to convince himself that he was straight) and the date had been better than he could've imagined.

Until Magnus had asked him that damned question. Alec hated explaining to people what had happened to him. He hated the vapid apologies, the heartless stares that clearly screamed '_at least it didn't happen to me'_, but most of all, he hated the pity. Alec had never been someone to milk his problems for more than they were worth- that was more his siblings' forte. All he had ever tried to do was to blend in to the crowd, capture as little attention as possible. Unfortunately, being obviously disabled destroyed any bit of anonymity you had acquired and won you a hell of a lot of the things he hated- pity and attention.

He hadn't wanted to tell Magnus his story because the last thing he wanted was for Magnus to feel sorry for him. He hadn't wanted his past to influence any possible future they might have. Then Magnus had kissed him, which had shocked Alec beyond belief. An incredible, attractive, intelligent person had kissed him, and Alec had definitely enjoyed it. But then his mind had kicked in, filling him with doubt. He had pulled away so quickly because one question kept repeating itself in his head and he couldn't shake the feeling that it may be true. _What if he's only kissing you because he feels sorry for you? _He looked up at his younger sister, who had settled herself into one of the overstuffed armchairs with an expectant smile, eagerly awaiting his reply.

"He asked me what happened." Alec said.

Isabelle scoffed. "I want to hear about the good stuff Alec!" she exclaimed, not in an unkind way.

Alec shrugged. "I told him, he kissed me, and I left."

"By 'left' I assume you mean that you escaped like a bat out of hell?"

Alec said nothing, but stared at his sister as if she were some sort of exotic animal. Who even said things like that? Isabelle took his silence to mean yes, which it indirectly did, and she placed her head in her hands. "What am I going to do with you?" she mumbled. "He kisses you and you run-" Letting out an extremely exaggerated sigh, she looked up. "Don't you like him?"

Alec didn't have to think about the answer to this. From the moment he had laid eyes on the spectacular Magnus Bane, he had felt a mix of emotions that he had no idea what to think of.

"Of course I do Izzy." He answered. "But I don't want him to date me because he thinks he's helping a charity case, okay? You don't get it. You don't know what it's like to have everyone pity you, and I hope you never will."

Isabelle stood up and moved to Alec's side. During his life with her, he had learned that his sister had two distinct personalities. The kick-ass, frightening, sultry, 'goddess'- her word- and the caring, sensitive side that she only revealed to her brothers. The latter was making an appearance now. "Alec, you're right. I don't know what it's like, but I do know what boys are like. And I know that if you don't talk to him, then you'll never find out why he kissed you." Isabelle smiled gently. "At least text him." She looked at her brother pleadingly. "For me?"

Alec sighed. He could rarely say no to Isabelle. "Fine,"

Isabelle stood up, her mission accomplished. "Wait 'til tomorrow though. You don't want to seem desperate. " When Alec rolled his eyes, Isabelle chuckled and swung the door open.

"You up for ice cream and American Idol?" she asked.

* * *

(Magnus POV)

_Hi. It's Alec._

Magnus stared at the rhinestone-studded cellphone lying on his palm.

"Who is it?" Camille, who had been elegantly draped on the couch, pulled herself up.

"It's him."

Camille smiled knowingly. "Didn't I tell y- "

"Yes Camille. You're a genius and I love you. Now please shut up."

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**Thanks to everyone that reviewed! You all get cookies.**


	6. The Storm

**I really think you guys are going to like this one! Happy reading!**

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(Alec POV)

Alec lifted himself onto his bed, wincing when the motion caused his wheelchair to roll across the room. _Great, _he sighed and collapsed onto his dark blue sheets, the comforting fabric enveloping him in familiarity. After the crazy week he'd had, that was what he needed right now. Something constant, even it was something as simple as his own room.

After his odd date with Magnus, Alec had thought he would have some time to think about what had happened. However, any thoughts of peace were short lived in his family, and with Christmas on its way, he hadn't had any time to himself lately.

It was three days after their date when he finally found the time (and the courage) to text Magnus. He kept it simple of course, both heeding Isabelle's warning to 'not seem desperate' and because he honestly had no idea how to talk to Magnus after running out on him. He wasn't sure what the other boy's reaction would be. At the time, he hadn't seemed angry, just surprised. But then again, Alec hadn't really stuck around for long enough to actually figure it out.

He gripped his phone tightly, the black edges digging into his palm. He couldn't help feeling nervous, but only a few anxious moments passed before a chime was heard from Alec's hand.

**I wasn't expecting to hear from u again.**

Alec cringed. What was he supposed to say to that? Sorry I'm self-conscious and have never been in a relationship especially since I ended up in this stupid chair?

_I'm sorry. You just- surprised me._

**Surprised u?**

_Yeah,_ Alec paused, unsure of a way to word his thoughts that wouldn't make him seem completely childish. In the end, he just spit it out. _That was my first date. That's why I freaked._

**Oh good, I thought it was my breath. **

A laugh escaped Alec and relief flooded him. _So you aren't mad?_

**Not if I get to see u again.**

Alec grinned, the smile covering his entire face and lighting his eyes. Maybe he was wrong about Magnus. If he wanted to see Alec after he had made a complete fool of himself, then either Magnus really did like him, or he was a certifiable psycho_. Yes! _Alec typed immediately.

He mentally slapped himself, quickly erasing the word. He could imagine what Isabelle would be saying perfectly. Don't seem too eager. Thinking for a moment, he came up with what he deemed the perfect reply.

_ Hmm_, Alec replied_. I don't think that_ _would be a problem. _Although his words seemed composed and calm, Alec was anything but. If he had been able to jump, he was sure that he would be doing it right now. As it was though, he settled for fisting the air and smiling like a child.

**Excellent, darling. How's Friday?**

_I might be able to clear my schedule._

**My place? ;) **

Alec smiled sadly. He would love it if Magnus could come over, but unfortunately, he knew his entire family wouldn't be as accepting as Isabelle, so for now, that wasn't an option.

_Sounds great :)_

Alec sighed happily, flopping back onto his bed. Only three days until he got to see Magnus.

* * *

Alec could hardly see through the rain thundering down around him. The water pounded the pavement with such force that it hit him from all angles, thoroughly soaking him to the bone. The sun had set long ago, immediately replaced by the chill of night and foreboding black clouds. He shivered deeply, beginning to regret the rash, despair-fueled decision that had caused him to end up on a certain man's doorstep. He hadn't had a choice though, not really. When your world crashes down around you and you have no fucking idea what to do about it, of course you head to someone you trust. Well, Alec didn't have many of those, so here he was, sitting wet and cold in front of the doorstep of an attractive man he barely knew, at twelve thirty am, two days before their second date.

Before he could talk himself out of it, he raised a pale hand and touched the buzzer beside an old plaque reading 'Bane'. Almost immediately, a loud, powerful voice exploded from the speaker. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT TIME IT IS?"

Alec swallowed nervously. He hadn't thought this plan out very well. It wasn't exactly easy to plan when you'd been on the verge of tears for the past three hours. He cleared his throat, a small, broken voice that he'd never had reason to use before escaping him. "M-Magnus? It's Alec."

Alec could almost feel Magnus' surprise at his declaration. Whomever the man had been expecting, it certainly wasn't him. Without another word, the buzzer sounded, unlocking the old door with a barely audible 'click'. Alec pushed himself through, letting out an exhausted sound when his chair caught on the door frame. He eventually reached Magnus' door, which was cracked open slightly. A tall, surprised looking Magnus was leaning in the doorway, his silk-pajama clad body only slightly less sparkly than Alec was used to. The surprise on his face quickly changed to concern as he took in Alec's appearance. He was soaking, the water dripping off his hair and shirt collecting in a puddle on his chair. His normally calm blue eyes were rimmed with red and he was shaking slightly. Magnus immediately ushered him inside and into a neon room-obviously his bedroom.

"You're soaked! Before you tell me what's wrong- and you _will _tell me- you need to get out of those clothes." Alec raised his eyebrow, the only hint of emotion he'd shown since seeing Magnus. The motion caused Magnus to laugh lightly and he threw a dark-grey, but sparkle-covered sweater at Alec. "Not what I meant darling. I'll be in the kitchen. Feel free to borrow a pair of pants too."

With that, Magnus was gone, leaving Alec alone in a bright purple room with an even brighter yellow comforter. Numb, he rolled into the adjoining bathroom and pulled off his dripping black shirt. He draped it over the towel rod and finished changing, melting into Magnus's warm and dry clothes. For sparkle covered monstrosities, they were surprisingly comfortable- a fact lost on Alec, who right now, couldn't care less about something as trivial as clothing.

He was drawn into the living room by the smell of hot chocolate, the delicious aroma rousing him from his depression. Magnus was sitting comfortably on a large, plush sofa and two mugs of steaming hot chocolate were resting on the table in front of him. Noticing Alec, he looked up and offered a small smile. He picked up one of the mugs, gesturing to the other invitingly. When Alec didn't move, Magnus sighed. "I assume there is a reason why you appeared on my doorstep at this ungodly hour?"

Alec sniffed unhappily, the memories of the evening before assaulting him.

_(Flashback)_

_"Kids, dinner!" Maryse's voice echoed through the estate, a sound not unfamiliar to the Lightwood children. All of them had immediately appeared in the kitchen, not willing to miss one of their mothers' home cooked meals. Maryse and Robert weren't home together often-a result of conflicting schedules, but when they were, family dinners were always a big deal. _

_Jace, Alec, and Max had dug into the lasagna with gusto, oblivious to anything but the cheese-covered meal. Intuitive Isabelle had eaten nothing, her face suddenly hard._

_"Mom, dad, what's going on?" _

_Maryse and Robert gave each other an angry, but resigned glace before Robert spoke._

_"Your mother and I are getting a divorce."_

_The room was so still and silent that you could have heard a pin drop. The children were staring at their parents, slack-jawed, unsure if this was some sort of sick joke. Maryse cleared her throat uncomfortably. Alec only caught bits and pieces of her sentence, but it was enough. Separate. Different houses. Moving._

_With that sentence, the room had erupted. Jace had begun yelling, his voice the only thing that could be heard over Max's tortured crying. Isabelle had sat, frozen, silent tears rolling down her cheeks. Alec was the only one who gave no response. He had been still for a moment, the unexpected new sinking in, before he had silently left the table, no one noticing his absence in the chaos._

_(Flashback over)_

He hadn't noticed the tears finally falling from his tired eyes until Magnus was beside him. He raised a hand to Alec's face, gently cupping his cheek. "Oh, Alec. Darling." He tried to hug Alec, but that was another thing wheelchairs were good for- making embraces impossible. He silently asked permission from Alec, who nodded slightly. Magnus wrapped his arms around Alec, easily lifting him from the chair. He softly placed Alec on the couch and settled in beside him, his arms covering Alec and pulling the boy toward him. Alec complied, curling up against Magnus.

Once he had his emotions in check, he looked up at Magnus. "Sorry," he mumbled.

Magnus' face looked surprised and almost- hurt. "Alexander, you don't ever have to apologize for coming here; especially when something is wrong."

Alec met Magnus' eyes, which were sparkling with an emotion that Alec couldn't quite place. Encouraged, he snuggled his face into Magnus' chest, breathing in the smell of sandalwood. Magnus froze for a moment before a smile spread across his face.

That was how Alec drifted off to sleep; wrapped in the strong, safe arms of the man he was growing to love.

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed! You guys inspire me to be a better writer! **

**Review please! **


	7. Good Morning

**How excited were you guys to see the trailer? I was freaking out! **

**So sorry for the wait! I have a thousand excuses which I am positive none of you want to hear. So on to the story!**

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Alec pulled the blanket tighter around him, snuggling into the bed. The room was chilly. Not yet to the point of discomfort, but just enough to make it obvious that Christmas was on it's way. He had always had internal climate problems. Even in the dead of summer, he could be found in a sweater and jeans. His eyes opened a crack at the sunlight spilling across the bed and he smiled to himself. Usually the noise of having three siblings was enough to ensure he never slept in late enough for the sun to rise completely.

That thought gave him pause. Why weren't there any yells or fire alarms (from Isabelle's attempts at breakfast) filling the house? His eyes still half closed from sleep, he groggily pulled himself up. Stretching his arms above his head, he slowly looked around the room. What he saw made his eyes fly open and nearly stopped his heart. Instead of waking up to his small, organized blue and white bedroom, he appeared to be in the middle of a rainbow. Bright yellow sheets complemented purple walls and a lime-green rug. He would have laughed if he wasn't so unnerved. Apparently the shock was enough to jog his memory, and the events of last night came flooding back to him. The last thing he remembered was lying against Magnus on the couch after his embarrassing breakdown, and now he was in a very un-couch-like bed. He groaned quietly. _Damn it_. He already regretted his sob-fest, and he really hadn't meant to fall asleep here.

He sighed and ran a hand through his messy black hair. Pulling the canary sheets off his legs, he was relieved to spot his black and silver chair parked beside the bed. He easily lifted himself into the wheelchair and went to the door. When he pushed it open, a delicious aroma greeted him. He had to think for a moment before placing it though. Once he did, he smiled to himself ruefully. Had it really been that long since he'd had bacon?

Although he didn't quite know the layout of the apartment, he followed his nose until he reached the kitchen. Magnus was standing beside the stove in the silk pyjamas from last night, placing strips of bacon on two plates which already held golden piles of scrambled eggs. Alec sighed internally. How was it possible that everything Magnus did just screamed 'sexy'? It could be objective, since Alec was kind of dating the man, (he wasn't sure how many dates made it official, but the fact that Magnus hadn't freaked out last night seemed positive.) but he was sure that he'd never met anyone who could make serving breakfast this sensual.

"Admiring the view?" Turning from his task, Magnus fixed Alec with a teasing look.

It was all too easy for Alec to fire back, "If you mean the food, then yes."

Magnus grinned and picked up the plates. He set them on the small kitchen table and he and Alec began eating in earnest. When Alec paused, Magnus looked up at him expectantly. Alec's eyes had widened in worry and he was looking around the room anxiously.

"I have to text Izzy, they must be freaking out!"

Magnus sat down slowly, leaning back against the elaborately carved chair. He waved a nonchalant hand. "Don't worry about that darling. I sent her a message last night after you fell asleep." Seeing how this made Alec relax, he couldn't resist adding, "As far as your parents know, you spent the night at a brothel."

"Magnus!" Alec exclaimed, nearly spewing eggs all over the table.

"It was a joke Alexander. She told them you're at a friends'."

Alec breathed a sigh of relief. He was safe, for now at least. He didn't want to think about what Isabelle would do to him when he came home. He shot Magnus a small smile. "Um, thanks."

Magnus looked a bit confused, "It's not like it was a very difficult thing to do. I already had her number."

Alec blushed. "I-I meant about last night. I shouldn't have bothered you, I just didn't know where else to go, and-"

Magnus' eyes were sparkling again, filled with the same glow as they had held the evening previous. Before Alec knew what was happening, Magnus had leaned across the small table and captured Alec's lips with his own. Alec let out a little gasp of surprise before his lips were moving against Magnus'. Magnus lips were sweet and soft and tasted faintly of strawberry chap stick. They parted Alec's lips with a skill that made Alec moan in the back of his throat. When they had to reluctantly come up for air, Magnus moved his mouth beside Alec's ear. "You really need to stop apologizing." he breathed.

Alec blushed again, his pale cheeks flooding with a colour that now matched his lips. With a smile that looked suspiciously like a smirk, Magnus stood up and cleared the table. As he moved, his voice teasingly asked, "So, Alec, what were your plans for today? Secret dates with your plethora of suitors?"

Alec's eyes widened. "No!" he said forcefully. Who even talked like that? 'Plethora of suitors' really? "Um, no. I was actually going to pick up a few Christmas presents."

Magnus smiled. "Good luck with that sweetheart. Have you looked outside this morning?"

Confused, Alec rolled to the window, where to his dismay, he saw the street covered in a thick layer of sparkling white snow. "Oh." was all he managed to say.

Magnus frowned. "You don't like snow?"

"Well, it's kind of difficult to push a wheel chair through it." Alec said.

Magnus smiled. "Well, as the snow plow may take a while..."

Alec and Magnus spent the day inside, curled up in front of the TV. When the sky began to grow dark again and the streets were cleared of snow, Alec left reluctantly for his home, dreading facing his family again.

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**Thanks so much for reading! I know this chapter was short, but I have writer's block. If anyone has suggestions about where they want this to go, then please, please tell me. Next chapter will be up in a few days.**

**Reviews = love **


	8. The Worst Pain

**Thank you so much for the reviews! Shout out to HassleCastle for the idea that jump-started my creativity again.**

**Trigger Warning: violence, homophobic slurs**

******ATTENTION: This is not mindless violence. It has a point, I promise. Although you guys are probably going to want to kill me.**

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Snow was falling lightly from the darkening blue sky, pinpoints of white flurrying through the crisp evening air. The sun was still out, but slipping toward the horizon, stealing any remaining warmth with it. Shadows of the buildings and trees stretched along the sidewalk, distorted into grotesque figures by the oncoming night. Alec shivered slightly in the winter chill, pulling his thin black sweater more tightly around him. He looked down the street, moving out from under the protection of Magnus' building. The cab hadn't yet arrived, and instead of bothering Magnus again by ringing the buzzer, he had decided to tough it out. He had already intruded on Magnus enough, he didn't need to bother him again just to wait inside for a second. A few minutes waiting in the snow wouldn't hurt him. Sighing, he leaned back in his chair, pulling out his IPhone. The screen lit up immediately, showing him exactly what he had known would be there.

_3 new text messages_

_Izzy (11:05 pm): OMG Alec! Magnus just texted me!_

_Izzy (11:39 pm):__ i want a full report!_

_Izzy (11:54 pm): b safe! dont do what i wouldnt ;)_

Alec shook his head, smiling apprehensively. He was not looking forward to explaining the previous night to his sister. It had been bad enough after their first date, he didn't want to imagine what she would act like after he'd spent an entire night with Magnus. He and Izzy were friends, a product of hanging out in mutual establishments and sharing a love for fashion, so Alec knew that even if he wasn't the one to tell Izzy, Magnus would. And who knew what Magnus would say. Knowing him, he would probably make up a story that actually did involve going to a brothel. He chuckled to himself, putting his phone on his lap. He would definitely have to talk to Izzy before Magnus did.

Checking for the cab again, he noticed two figures approaching. The men were walking slowly, dark jackets pulled up to nearly cover their faces. Their hair was the only feature Alec could make out, one black and the other so blond that it was nearly white. Eyeing the pair warily, Alec stiffened as they continued closer. His heart was pounding in his ears by the time the men stopped beside him. Grinning, the dark haired man motioned to him. "Waitin' for a cab?" His voice was gruff, almost gravelly, but this close, Alec could see that both of the men were young, close to his own age. Alec's heartbeat slowed, almost returning to normal._ I need to stop being so paranoid, _he thought. _Not every strange person on the street is going to mug me or something. _Alec didn't say anything in response to him, merely smiling tightly and nodding his head, refocusing his gaze on the street.

After a silent moment, the blond man leaned down, making his face level with Alec's. "Listen here." He said quietly. "I'll tell you how this is going to go. You're going to give us your wallet, and your phone, and you're not going to say a word. You're going to listen and I won't have to use this." His still calm voice had deepened to a nearly frightening tone and Alec turned to face him with a start. A jagged knife rested a centimeter from his cheek, it's blade shining dull silver in the fading light. The scratched blade was crusted with something the approximate colour of rust, and to prevent himself from freaking out, Alec pretended that was all it was. Slowly, he pulled his battered wallet from his pocket. Luckily for him, he never carried around much money, and he knew that it would hold twenty dollars at the most. The second it was in sight, the blond man ripped it from his grasp. The other pulled the phone from his lap just as he moved to grab it. "No chance, buddy." The man sneered. "That wasn't all we wanted." He grabbed Alec's outstretched arm, and in a single fluid movement, Alec was on the ground.

_You have to be kidding me._

When his father had taught him, Izzy and Jace to fight as children, he had imparted on them one essential rule. Do not let your opponent keep you on the ground. It had seemed like something to keep in mind while he could still walk, but it was not like he had much of a choice now. He struggled to sit up, at least, but the dark haired man landed a kick to Alec's chest, stealing the air from his lungs. He fell onto his back with a quiet groan, clutching his ribs.

Above him, the blond man sneered, "Serves you right, you little fag." Seeing that he was trying to right himself, he kicked Alec, his foot hitting the same spot that the other man's had. Through the haze of pain ricocheting through him, Alec was positive that he heard a crack. He bit his lip, holding back a moan at the pain. He refused to let them see that they were hurting him. A small noise must have escaped though, because the dark man laughed tauntingly and kicked him again, this time connecting with Alec's face. His boot caught Alec's temple with surprising force, triggering something dark and wet to trickle into his eye. His world was growing dark around the edges, the combination of pain and head trauma making him weak.

The blond man motioned his partner away and crouched down, smiling crookedly. The only sound was the retreating footsteps of the dark haired man, and the whispers of the snow falling onto the pavement. "Will you deliver a little message for me?" he whispered, voice dead calm. His request was so quiet that Alec wasn't sure he had heard correctly. He wasn't given more time to think about it, as the man produced the knife again. Nonchalant, he wiped it on his coat, seeming to admire the metallic sheen reflecting off the now shining blade. The blond man's smile widened, the expression frightening Alec almost more than the knife had.

"Tell your _Magnus,"_ He spit out Magnus' name, sneering. "That Sebastian says hello." With that, he plunged the knife into Alec's side.

The blinding pain finally pulled a scream from Alec as the blade moved under his skin. Brilliant red blood soaked his black sweater, darkening the fabric and dripping onto the pavement. Sebastian ripped the blade from his stomach, the pain with that movement almost worst than the initial. He shouted again, feeling as though he had been ripped in half. The man, Sebastian, he presumed, jumped up at the noise, his job done, and escaped into the darkness. Alec moaned quietly, tears mingling with his dark blood on the sidewalk. "Help," he called, mustering all the strength that he could, his voice cracking with pain. "Help..." He heard footsteps approaching quickly, and moved to turn his head. Alec thought that he could make out a voice calling out to him, but a sudden jolt of pain through his stomach destroyed his focus. The pain was unbearable, making him just want to curl up into a ball. Belatedly, Alec wondered if he was dying. He couldn't imagine anything more painful than this. Even the crash that had sentenced him to a life in his chair hadn't felt this terrible. At least that had been over more quickly.

The blood-loss coupled with the boot to his head was finally too much, and the blackness that had edged his vision took over, pulling him from consciousness.

oOoOoO

Magnus whistled to himself, a smile wide on his face. It had been years since he'd been this giddy, and to think, it was over a boy whom he had really just met. He had walked down the stairs, his feet light, not minutes after Alec had left and headed to pick up his mail in the lobby of the building, where he was now. Shuffling through it without reading, he was jolted from his thoughts when he heard a shout from outside. The voice seemed startlingly familiar, but it wasn't until he heard it again that his heart stopped.

It couldn't be him.

No.

The mail fell from Magnus' hands as he bolted outside, leaving a trail of discarded paper in his wake. He shoved the heavy wooden door open, letting it slam behind him. A small, dark shape lay curled up on the curb, a puddle of dark, ominous liquid spreading into a puddle around him. Even against the white snow, the blood looked darker than he had imagined. But the identifying factor, the one that cemented in Magnus' mind who this was, was the silver wheelchair lying on its side beside the boy, wheels still turning slowly.

"Alec!" The word tore itself from Magnus' throat, ragged and filled with pain. Barely breathing, Magnus ran toward Alec, collapsing at his side. "Alec, Alec, come on, it's okay. Wake up, please." Pulling out his phone, he dialed 911 with shaking fingers. Alec's face was as pale as death, his eyelids fluttering softly. Magnus's fingers ghosted down to Alec's side as he spoke to the operator. When the light from his phone reflected onto the gash in Alec's side, he couldn't speak. Even through his shirt, Magnus could see that the wound stretched from Alec's ribs, which he was sure were bruised dark purple, almost to his hip. Magnus left his t shirt where it was, knowing that he wouldn't be able to handle seeing the bare scar, and not willing to hurt Alec further. His eyes were watering for the first time in years, the thought of Alec being dead ridiculously difficult to bear.

"Alec, please," was all he could choke out, his voice thick. "You can't leave me too."

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***hides* I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It killed me having to do that to Alec. **

**What theories do you have about Sebastian? He's clearly got some sort of issues with Magnus. Reviews make me write faster, hint, hint.**

Blue eyed fantasies**: Alec is in his final year of high school, so about 18, and Magnus is in his first year of university.**


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